Hybrid Tea rose variety ‘POULen003’

ABSTRACT

A new garden rose plant which has abundant, light pink flowers and attractive foliage. This new and distinct variety has shown to be uniform and stable in the resulting generations from asexual propagation.

Botanical classification: Rosa hybrida.

Variety denomination: ‘POULen003’.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present discovery constitutes a new and distinct variety of a HybridTea rose plant which was discovered in a cultivated area. The mutationresulted from ‘POULna’, a Hybrid Tea rose hybridized by the sameinventors. (‘POULna’) is described and illustrated in U.S. Plant patentapplication Ser. No. 09/268,566, dated Mar. 15, 1999, abandoned. The newrose variety resulted from a naturally occurring mutation of unknowncausation on a branch of ‘POULna’.

The new rose may be distinguished from ‘POULna’ by the followingcombination of characteristics:

-   -   1. While ‘POULen003’ has exhibits light pink blooms, ‘POULna’        exhibits creamy white colored blooms.    -   2. While ‘POULen003’ exhibits basal petal spots of Green-Yellow        Group 1D, ‘POULna’ exhibits basal petal spots of Yellow-Green        Group 144D.

The rose plant of the present discovery has a unique combination ofcharacteristics which are outstanding in the new variety and whichdistinguish it from all other varieties which we are aware of.

For example, the new variety has:

-   -   1. Uniform and abundant light pink flowers;    -   2. Disease resistance;    -   3. Vigorous growth;    -   4. Exceptional fragrance.

This combination of qualities is not present in previously availablecommercial cultivars of this type and distinguish ‘POULen003’ from allother varieties of which we are aware.

The resulting mutation was selected and evaluations were conducted onthe resulting rose plants in a controlled environment.

Asexual reproduction of ‘POULen003’ by cuttings was first done by L.Pernille and Mogens N. Olesen in Fredensborg, Denmark, in 1996. Thisinitial and other subsequent propagations have demonstrated that thecharacteristics of ‘POULen003’ are true to type and are transmitted fromone generation to the next.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The accompanying color illustration shows as true as is reasonablypossible to obtain in color photographs of this type, the typicalcharacteristics of the buds, flowers, leaves, and stems, of ‘POULen003’.Specifically illustrated in the first drawing:

-   -   1. Stem showing branching and the attachment of leaves, buds,        and peduncle;    -   2. Flower bud, partially opened bud, and open bloom;    -   3. Flower petals, detached.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE VARIETY

The following is a description of ‘POULen003’, as 3 year old buddedplants, observed in its growth in a field nursery in Jackson County,Oreg. Color references are made using The Royal Horticultural Society(London, England) Colour Chart, 1995, except where common terms of colorare used.

For a comparison, several physical characteristics of the rose variety‘POULheart’, a rose variety from the same inventors described andillustrated in the U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 09/270,179dated Mar. 15, 1999, now abandoned, is compared to ‘POULen003’ in Chart1.

CHART 1 ‘POULen003’ ‘POULheart’ Petal color White Group 155C with WhiteGroup 155A of outer an overlay of Red petals after Group 36D openingPetal count 30 38 to 42 Flower 60 to 70 mm 90 to 120 mm diameter whenopen

-   Parents:    -   -   Parent.—‘POULna’.-   Classification:    -   -   Botanical.—Rosa hybrida ‘POULen003’.        -   Commercial.—Hybrid Tea.

FLOWER AND FLOWER BUD

-   Blooming habit: Recurrent.-   Flower bud:    -   -   Size.—Upon opening, 25 to 30 mm in length from base of            receptacle to end of bud.        -   Diameter.—15 mm.        -   Bud form.—Very long pointed ovoid.        -   Bud color.—As sepals unfold, petals are White Group 155C; At            ¼ opening, petals are White Group 155C.        -   Sepals.—Surfaces of sepals slightly pubescent. Stipitate            glands are present along the margins and underside of the            sepals. Color: Upper surface is Yellow Green Group 144D with            intonations of Greyed-Red Group 181B. The lower surface is            Green Group 143C. Shape: General sepal shape is ensiform to            subulate. Sepal apex is cirrhose. Base is flat at union with            receptacle. Margins: 2 of 5 sepals have margins which are            entire. 3 of the 5 sepals have strong foliaceous apendages.            Size: 30 mm long×8 to 10 mm wide. Receptacle: Surface:            Smooth and glossy. Shape: Funnel shaped. Size: Small. 5 mm            (h)×6 mm (w). Color: Yellow-Green Group 144B. Peduncle:            Surface: Smooth with stipitate glands. Length: 50 to 60 mm            average length. Diameter: 3.5 mm. Color: Yellow Green Group            144A and 144B. Strength: Somewhat strong. Borne: In small            clusters with 3 to 5 buds per flowering stem.        -   Anthocyanin.—Greyed-Red 181C.-   Flower bloom:    -   -   Fragrance.—Strong, traditional rose scent.        -   Duration.—The blooms have a duration on the plant of            approximately 3 to 5 days. Petals fall cleanly away from            plant.        -   Size.—Average flower diameter is 60 to 70 mm when open.        -   Depth.—40 mm.        -   Form.—Shape of flower when viewed from the side: Upon            opening, upper part: Cupped. Upon opening, lower part:            Convex. Open flower, upper part: Flat. Open flower, lower            part: Convex.        -   Petalage.—Very double. Average range: 20 to 40 petals under            normal conditions with no petaloids.-   Color:    -   -   Upon opening, petals.—Outermost petals: Outer side: White            Group 155C with an overlay of Red Group 36D. Inner Side:            White Group 155C with an overlay of Red Group 36D. Innermost            petals: Outer side: White Group 155C with an overlay of Red            Group 36D. Inner Side: White Group 155C with an overlay of            Red Group 36D.        -   Upon opening, basal petal spots.—Outermost petals: Outer            side: Green-Yellow Group 1D. Inner Side: Green-Yellow Group            1D. Innermost petals: Outer side: Green-Yellow Group 1D.            Inner Side: Green-Yellow Group 1D.        -   After opening, petals.—Outermost petals: Outer side: White            Group 155C with overlay of Red Group 36D. Inner Side: White            Group 155C with overlay of Red Group 36D. Innermost petals:            Outer side: White Group 155C with overlay of Red Group 36D.            Inner Side: White Group 155C with overlay of Red Group 36D.        -   After opening, basal petal spots.—Outermost petals: Outer            side: Green-Yellow Group 1D. Inner Side: Green-Yellow Group            1D. Innermost petals: Outer side: Green-Yellow Group 1D.            Inner Side: Green-Yellow Group 1D.-   General tonality: On open flower very faint Red Group 36D. No change    in the general tonality at the end of the 3rd day. Afterwards,    general tonality is Red Group 36D.-   Petals:    -   -   Petal reflex.—Strongly reflexed.        -   Petal edge.—Entire, with ruffles at margin.        -   Shape.—Deltoid shaped.        -   Size.—46 mm (l)×42 mm (w).        -   Thickness.—Average.        -   Arrangement.—Not formal.-   Petaloids: None.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Pistils.—Length: 15 mm long. Quantity: 38. Color: Overall            coloration is White Group 155A with intonations of Red Group            47B underneath the stigma.        -   Pollen.—Color: None observed.        -   Anthers.—Size: 4 mm long. Color: Grey-Orange Group 163B.            Quantity: 43.        -   Filaments.—Color: Green-Yellow Group 1D. Length: 12 mm.        -   Stigmas.—Inferior in location to anthers. Color:            Greyed-Green Group 196C.        -   Styles.—Color: Green-Yellow Group 1D. Other intonations: Red            Group 53D immediately below stigma.        -   Hips.—None observed.

PLANT

-   Plant growth: Vigorous, upright to bushy. As a budded field grown    plant on Rosa multiflora understock, the average height of the plant    itself is 100 to 150 cm and the average width is 100 cm.-   Stems:    -   -   Color.—Young wood: Yellow-Green Group 144A. Older wood:            Yellow-Green Group 144A.        -   Size.—90 cm length×10 mm diameter.        -   Internodes distance.—45 mm.        -   Thorns.—Incidence: 7 to 9 thorns per 10 cm of stem. Size:            Average length: 10 mm. Color: Yellow-Green Group 144A with            overlay of Greyed-Red Group 181C. Shape: Upper side is            linear while the lower side is concave.        -   Surface.—Young wood: Smooth. Older wood: Rough.-   Plant foliage: Normal number of leaflets on normal leaves in middle    of the stem: 5 leaflets.    -   -   Compound leaf size.—120 mm (l)×95 mm (w).        -   Quantity.—Generally 3 leaves per 10 cm of stem on average.        -   Color.—Mature Foliage: Upper Leaf Surface: Green Group 137B.            Lower Leaf Surface: Green Group 138B. Juvenile foliage:            Upper Leaf Surface: Green Group 137B. Lower Leaf Surface:            Green Group 138B. Anthocyanin intonation: Location: New            growth of top leaves, rachis, petiole. Color: Greyed-Red            Group 181C.-   Plant leaves and leaflets:    -   -   Stipules.—Size: 5 mm wide by 20 mm long. Color: Yellow-Green            Group 144A at margins. Yellow-Green Group 144C at mid rib of            leaflet with intonations of Greyed-Red Group 181C. Margins:            Stipitate Glands along the edges of the stipules.            Anthocyanin: Greyed-Red Group 181C.        -   Petiole.—Length: 20 mm. Diameter: 3 mm. Color: Yellow-Green            Group 144A. Underneath: Yellow-Green Group 144B. Margins:            Stipitate glands observed on upper surface. Anthocyanin:            Greyed-Red Group 181C.        -   Rachis.—Length: 55 mm. Color: Yellow-Green Group 144A.            Margins: Stipitate glands present on upper surface.            Anthocyanin: Greyed-Red Group 181C.        -   Leaflet.—Edge: Finely serrated. Size: 37 mm long by 32 mm            wide. Shape: Broadly ovate. Apex is cuspidate. Base is            round. Texture: Moderately glossy. Arrangement: Odd pinnate.            Venation: Reticulate. Color: Yellow-Green Group 145A to            Yellow-Green Group 151A.-   Disease resistance: Average resistance to mildew, rust, black spot,    and Botrytis under normal growing conditions in Jackson County,    Oreg.-   Cold hardiness: The variety ‘POULen003’ has been found to be cold    tolerant to USDA Hardiness Zone 7 in Jackson County, Oreg.

1. A new and distinct variety of rose plant of the Hybrid Tea class,substantially as herein illustrated and described as a distinct andnovel rose variety due to its abundant light pink flowers, vigorousgrowth, disease resistance, and extended period of bloom.